LAME DUCK SPENDING

The New Jersey State Legislature is scheduled to vote over a hundred bills in the last session of the lame duck today (1/11/10). Comparatively, that's actually not a crazy amount of measures to consider. In the last session before GOP Governor Donnie DiFranscesco left office in 2002, the General Assembly alone voted on over 300 bills.

Governor-elect Chris Christie is eight days away from taking over the reins as the state's chief executive. He was at the State House and took the opportunity to rail against any bill that will be considered today that will also spend taxpayer money.

"Lawmakers need to know that hitting the green (Yes) button today is really hitting a red (No) button for other programs," said Christie. He urged legislators to, "Try and have some discipline today."

At one point in his press conference, Christie said, "I don't know how much more money they're (lawmakers) going to spend today." From the back of the room someone shouted, "Not too much!" That 'someone' was outgoing State Senate President and former Governor Dick Codey. Christie joked, "You can feel the warmth already." We shall see.